NEWS RELEASE
COUNTY OF SIMCOE
****************************
Back by popular demand, County residents will have the option to recycle their old or unused electronics through a convenient curbside collection program.
Simcoe County residents will have received clear teal plastic bags for electronic waste in the mail throughout May. Collection will occur by zones over a two-week period, with zone 1 receiving collection the week of June 21 and zone 2 the week of June 28.
Pick-up will take place on your regular waste collection day. To determine your collection week and for more information on other special collection days, download the new Simcoe County Collects app or visit our website, simcoe.ca/swm. The app is available free of charge from the App Store and Google Play.
Teal electronics bags or larger loose electronics should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day, regardless of the time that your regular waste is normally collected, as electronics will be collected by a different truck. Further detail on solid waste management programs, including the electronics pick-up, are available online at simcoe.ca/dpt/swm
Acceptable items include:
- Computers
- Monitors
- Printers
- Televisions
- Cellular phones
- Video gaming consoles
- Small appliances (toasters, vacuums, kettles, electric mixers and coffee makers)
- Personal care items (hair dryers, electric shavers and toothbrushes)
- Cords and small corded power tools
Please delete all personal data from items placed at the curb. The County is not responsible for personal information contained on computer hard drives, motherboards or other electronic devices that may potentially store information. Electronic items collected will be processed at an approved electronics recycling facility where they are sorted, and recyclable materials are sent out for reuse.
Electronics are among the largest and fastest growing contributors to global waste. Globally, 53.6 million metric tonnes of electronic waste are generated each year, which equates to 13.3 kg per capita. In 2019, prior to COVID-19, the County collected 99 metric tonnes of electronic waste. Many of these electronics are harmful to the environment when not recycled properly, and the goal of this program is to offer residents an easy solution to properly recycle common electronic items.
To find out how you can recycle your electronic waste to help prevent toxic elements such as mercury and lead leaching into our environment and conserve energy, visit www.simcoe.ca/electronicscollection.
Please note, this program does not apply to residents of the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia.
County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.
**********************************
